Amateur weekend: Langdale prevails at Azalea

Austin Langdale
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Courtesy South Carolina Junior Golf Association
)

By Golfweek Staff

By Ben Larsen, Golfweek contributor

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

The Azalea Invitational, considered the official kickoff of the amateur golf season, took over headlines across the country this weekend as one of the year’s top fields took aim at The Country Club of Charleston.

Torrential rain in the third round made the course unplayable, forcing the tournament committee to shorten the event to 36 holes. The victory, however, was still meaningful for Clemson-bound Austin Langdale.

“It’s pretty cool,” he said. “It feels weird with the last shots hit on Friday, but it’s a great feeling. To look at the names on the locker room wall and see Webb Simpson and names like that, it’s pretty cool to have my name next to last year’s U.S. Open champ.”

Langdale held the lead after the first two days of play and was declared the winner Sunday. He opened play Thursday with a 5-under 66 and shot 69 Friday to take a two-shot lead into the weekend.

Scott Harvey, a top mid-amateur from North Carolina, finished alone in second place at after his second-round 67. Will Long, another junior, finished in third place after back-to-back rounds of 69 to open the event. Jim Liu, who fired a competitive course record 63 on Friday, was among a group of three players tied for fourth place. Cameron Champ and Carson Young also finished at 3 under.

Mike Miller managed a pair of 70s and finished alone in seventh place. North Carolina mid-amateur Matt Crenshaw and Jack Maguire, who won the 2012 St. Augustine Amateur, were one shot back in eighth place at even par. Former PGA Tour pro and 1997 Azalea Invitational champion John Engler finished tied for 12th. He shot rounds of 73-70 to finish at 1 over.

ATKINSON WINS TEXAS NORTH MID-AM: Zach Atkinson, who played collegiately for North Texas and also won the 2004 Texas State Amateur, took home the top spot at the Texas North Mid-Amateur Championship on March 24 at the Trophy Club.

Atkinson fired a second-round 67, then closed in 75 on a chilly Sunday. It was just enough to maintain his lead.

Colby Harwell was third with consecutive rounds of 73 while Jay Csipkes took fourth.

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WIRE-TO-WIRE WIN FOR ANDERSON/WOULFE: Stephen Anderson and Rick Woulfe combined to shoot a rounds of 65-69 and win the Florida Mid-Am/Senior Four Ball at Santa Lucia River Club in Port St. Lucie, Fla. Woulfe has a long history of notable amateur victories. He defeated Tiger Woods to win the 1992 Dixie Amateur and has been a mainstay in Florida events for more than 10 years.

The winners were three shots better than Matt Bianchini and Owen Joyner, who went 69-68. Pete Williams and Steve Earsley tied for third alongside Jeff Neugebauer.

• • •

WHITNEY WINS SUN COUNTRY SPRING STROKE PLAY: Cyrus Whitney won easily at the 2013 Sun Country Amateur Golf Association Spring Stroke Play Championship held at Picacho Hills Country Club in Las Cruces, N.M.

Whitney, who won the senior division at the 2013 amateurgolf.com San Diego County Amateur, led after a first-round 73 and cruised to a two-shot victory.

Patrick Beyhan shot a 3-under 69 Sunday but couldn’t quite knock off Whitney. He finished tied for second place with Sam Saunders, who shot 70 Sunday.

BERNSON, RESSEGUIE PREVAIL AT GEORGIA FOUR-BALL: Gery Bernson and Scott Resseguie combined to post rounds of 70-68-70 and finish atop the leaderboard at the 2013 Georgia Four-Ball at Doublegate Country Club in Albany, Ga.

Bernson and Resseguie led after 36 holes and never looked back with a sound 70 to close at the 25th playing of the event. They were one shot better than David Matthews and Doug Rayford, who finished alone in second place.

Bill Walbert couldn't make his qualifier for the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship. Luckily, his partner Brent Grant shot 9-under 63 playing his own ball to earn the pair a trip to The Olympic Club next year.

Teen qualifies for U.S. Am Four-Ball without partner

Brent Grant, 18, qualified for the 2015 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship without his partner.
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Photo Courtesy of Hawaii State Golf Association
)

At Royal Melbourne Golf Club, a handful of Australians are taking advantage of having the Asia-Pacific Amateur move south to their homeland. Two Aussies lead the field, and five more are T-11 or better.